ASICS Court FF 2 Women's Review

Comfort - Score: 4.3

Even though some playtesters required a slight break-in period, the Court FF 2s proved to be a comfortable option for a variety of foot types. The plush cushioning was apparent from the get-go, and the shoes remained comfortable to play in even after hours on court. Expectations were high for Julie, who has years of experience playing in Asics tennis shoes, and this latest offering from Asics did not disappoint. She commented, "I've been playing with Asics since the first Gel Resolution, and I played many tournaments with the Gel Solution Speed, so I honestly had quite high expectations for this new Asics Court FF 2. My expectations were met here, from the moment I slipped my feet into the shoes to the last day of the playtest! These shoes offer excellent cushioning without compromising stability, and they hug my feet nicely to follow my movements on the court. I'm used to tying my laces very tightly for extra support, and I made the mistake of doing so during the first week of this playtest. I felt some discomfort until I realized my laces simply needed to be loosened up. My narrow feet were actually held perfectly in place with my laces barely tightened. Once I fixed this small issue, it was a smooth ride. I do wish the shoes offered a tad more flexibility at the midfoot, but this is just a personal preference; it definitely wasn't a comfort problem. I believe the ventilation could have been better, though. My feet were getting a little warm in the shoes, but considering all the other excellent features, it was a small issue I handled without worry."

Tiffani found that the updated fit catered to her wider feet, and she enjoyed a cushioned ride after a short break-in period. She said, "I loved the original Court FF shoes and was surprised to see how different the updated version looked and felt out of the box. I think Asics improved the bootie construction because the Court FF 2s were much easier to get on for me compared to the original version. These shoes also have a slightly wider fit than the first Court FF, which was good news for me. I still needed two to three hours to break in these shoes, though. Until then, I experienced a bit of pressure, especially on the tops of my pinky toes. The Court FF 2s felt well cushioned in the heel, and lower to the ground in the forefoot. Although they were comfortable, I did miss the plusher feel of the original Court FF. As far as ventilation, the Court FF 2s felt about average."

Brittany also required a slight break-in period before she could feel fully comfortable in these shoes. She noted, "As a big fan of the originals, I had high expectations for the updated Court FF 2s. The shoes look very different — most noticeably the cage on the upper. When I slipped the shoes on (which is much easier than the originals, I might add), the cage material on the uppers was pretty stiff, and they definitely needed a break-in period. I was actually surprised that it took multiple hours before my feet were completely comfortable in the Court FF 2s. However, the Court FF 2s were well worth the work once broken in. I found the fit to be true to size, and the arch support hit in the correct place. I would have liked a little more ventilation; these shoes could get pretty warm, which caused me to take them off right after a hitting session ended."

The Court FF 2s quickly made their way into Michelle's list of favorites. She described, "I was especially lucky to spend several months testing these Court FF 2s. I was given a sample before launch and knew instantly that they were going to be some of my favorites. The comfort was apparent right away. Flyte Foam is one of the midsole technologies I really enjoy in my tennis footwear since it is soft and responsive and never gets too mushy underfoot. I loved the original version of these shoes, but I found it very hard to squeeze my feet into them. Luckily, it was much easier to get my feet into the Court FF 2s. I had zero rubbing or blisters, which was surprising, as I often do experience some rubbing around the heel collar with Asics shoes. The fit was great. I felt snug and comfortable in these shoes and could wear them for hours after hitting in them. They aren’t the most breathable shoes due to the TPU overlay, which doesn't offer much ventilation."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.7

The support and stability category is where the Asics Court FF 2s reigned supreme. Julie was more than wowed by these shoes. She said, "I'm big on support and stability. A lack of either of these features definitely slows me down on the court, so I'm glad to say I've never worn shoes as supportive as the Asics Court FF 2s! These shoes have a solid, yet flexible, material on the upper that offers insane support, which allowed me to move freely and confidently. My feet were not sliding at all in these shoes, and I could comfortably get aggressive on the court."

Michelle was also thoroughly impressed. She commented, "This is the area where these Court FF 2s really shine. There's so much support and stability — I loved it! I demand a lot from my shoes in terms of stability, and from the first hit, I was so excited to feel how stable the Court FF 2s are. The uppers held my feet comfortably, and I always felt well supported. I was completely confident moving out aggressively and recovering. I would say the support and stability were even better than the original version. After a few weeks of wear the uppers did seem to open up a bit, making the toe box feel a bit roomier at times. I don't think it was enough to go down a half size as I did with the original version, though."

“I think this is where Asics improved the Court FFs the most,” said Brittany. "The cage material was extremely beneficial, and I felt very secure in these shoes. My feet were held firmly in place, and there was no movement inside when I moved aggressively. The ankle collar hit in the right spot and fully protected my ankles. At first I was having some pain on the outside edge of my feet, but then I realized it was just the shoes keeping my feet from going over the edge. I got used to the feeling, and it didn't bother me after a couple of hits."

Tiffani added, "As I mentioned, I don't think these Court FF 2s are as cushioned as the original version, but that change helped me feel more connected and even more confident in the support and stability department. I felt very secure in all of my movements and could move in any direction without issue. In other Asics models, especially the Solution Speed series, I feel like the heel cup isn't deep enough to keep my heels from slipping out. I didn't have that issue at all with the Court FF 2s, and my ankles felt protected."

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 4.1

With only minimal signs of wear after the three-week playtest, the durability of the Asics Court FF 2s impressed our testers. For Michelle, this update offered better durability than the original version. She explained, "I was able to test a few different pairs of these shoes, so the wear was spread among those pairs. But I could tell that the durability was beefed up a bit compared to the original Court FFs. I remember wearing out my outsoles pretty quickly in the original version, and I was sad when I had to retire them because they were too slick. It took a bit longer to wear down the outsoles on these shoes. There is some smoothing under my big toes, but there's still a lot of traction left on the outsoles."

Although Tiffani didn't find the Court FF 2s to be the most durable shoes in the Asics lineup, she found them to be more than satisfactory. She noted, "These Court FF 2s are holding up well, although they don't seem to have the durability of a Gel Resolution. The medial edge of the forefoot began to show some wear for me around 10 hours. This is plenty durable for my needs, and I have no worries of wearing these shoes out prematurely."

Being an aggressive mover, Julie is prone to wearing out her shoes quickly. Even so, the Court FF 2s fell in line with the tough reputation she's come to associate with Asics tennis shoes. She said, "Asics shoes have never disappointed me in the durability category, and the Court FF 2's long-lasting outsole keeps that trend going! I noticed slight smoothing after the third week of the playtest, which is pretty impressive considering my tendency to ruin outsoles within a month. I also found toe durability to be outstanding. I am a toe dragger, and after three weeks of playtesting I barely noticed any signs of wear."

Brittany was also pleased with how the shoes held up throughout the playtest period. She commented, "I would say the Court FF 2s have above-average outsole durability. I put 15 hours on these shoes and am barely seeing any wear or smoothing. The toe and upper durability are both excellent as well. There is a lot of material protecting the shoes, making them very durable. I expect my pair to last a couple more months without any issues."

Traction - Score: 4.1

The Court FF 2's modified herringbone tread pattern provided balanced traction that allowed our testers to trust their movement on court. Brittany said, “I felt very connected to the court in the Court FF 2s. I was able to rely on the traction when making quick starts and stops. I like a little bit of give, and these shoes offered just enough to keep me from feeling like I was slipping. The traction remained consistent throughout the playtest. I would say that if you like to slide on court, these shoes could be a great option."

Tiffani also felt she could move with confidence, noting, "The outsoles of the Court FF 2s offered me a good blend of give and grab. I slid slightly a couple of times, which I don't typically do, but it was in a very controlled way. I never felt like I was going to fall. The shoes hooked up to the court, and I was able to quickly recover to be ready for the next shot. The traction stayed consistent throughout the playtest."

Julie found that the traction settled in a bit after a few hours on court. She said, "The outsoles were slightly sticky during my first three hours on the court, but I found the perfect amount of grip following that first week of playtesting. The outsoles allowed me to slide smoothly without slowing me down on abrupt changes of direction, while offering great grip on quick starts. They also allowed me to adjust to the ball comfortably without feeling stuck on the court."

"I am by no means a hard court slider," explained Michelle. "I appreciate that Asics made this outsole an option for players who do slide aggressively by putting the give and grip in all the right places. With that being said, the outsole is perfect for players who move like me and want to feel a bit more solid on their feet. I never slid out or worried about slipping. I could rebound aggressively any time I was pulled wide. The traction was great. I feel like this shoe lends itself well to several different types of players."

Weight - Score: 4.2

Asics built the Court FF 2s with enough weight to provide stability while still allowing players to feel quick on their feet. Michelle described, "The weight was just right. I wouldn't say these shoes belong in the lightweight category, but they definitely aren't heavy either. They made me feel fast and ready to move quickly whenever I needed to. I never felt like they were bulky, or anything like that."

Brittany was of a similar opinion. She noted, "The weight fell into the 'average' category for me; it was neither heavy nor light. The bootie construction did help contribute to a more streamlined fit, so the shoes weren't bulky or cumbersome. I didn't have any issues with moving around on court, but I personally prefer shoes that feel a little lighter."

Tiffani found the Court FF 2s to be a bit beefier than the originals, but she didn't feel weighed down. She said, "These shoes felt more substantial on my feet than the original Court FFs, but they were still light enough for me. I don't think these are really 'lightweight' shoes, though; they fall more into the mid-weight category."

Considering the supportive and stable nature of the Court FF 2s, Julie was impressed with their weight. She concluded, "I think the Court FF 2s are lightweight considering the amount of support they offer. They're heavier than I usually prefer, but they didn't slow me down one bit. I still felt quick on my feet."

Overall - Score: 4.5